Colts general manager defends Andrew Luck injury report

NFL will investigate severity of quarterback's injury, which team has said was sore shoulder. Another report suggests fractured ribs.

Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson refuted a Sunday report that quarterback Andrew Luck is playing with fractured ribs, but the NFL is going to look into the injury.

Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported Sunday morning Luck suffered fractured ribs in addition to a right shoulder injury earlier this season, but Grigson issued a statement through the team in the afternoon.

“Our injury reports are accurate,” Grigson said. “If people have any questions about player injuries, they should refer to our injury reports.”

USA TODAY Sports’ Tom Pelissero reported the league will investigate Luck’s injury, according to league spokesman Brian McCarthy.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported the Colts have been in communication with the league about the rib injury. Colts and league sources confirmed Luck suffered a rib injury that required treatment, but Colts sources insisted the quarterback would not have missed any time due to that injury.

The Colts listed Luck as questionable with a shoulder injury from Weeks 4 through 6. He was inactive in the fourth and fifth games, the first time he has been sidelined in his four-year career.

The league’s injury report policy states: “All players with significant or noteworthy injuries must be listed on the report, even if the player takes all the reps in practice, and even if the team is certain that he will play in the upcoming game. This is especially true of key players and those players whose injuries have been covered extensively by the media. This policy is of paramount importance in maintaining the integrity of the game.”

There is precedence for punishing teams in violating of this rule. The USA TODAY Sports report cited 2009, when the New York Jets were fined $75,000 and former coach Eric Mangini and general manager Mike Tannenbaum were docked $25,000 each for failing to list quarterback Brett Favre on the injury report the previous season when he had a torn biceps tendon.

Three years ago, Washington, Buffalo and Baltimore were fined $20,000 for various injury reporting violations, according to USA TODAY Sports.

Luck is having the worst season of his career with nine interceptions and a lost fumble in five games. The three-time Pro Bowl star is 1-4 in his starts.

He is not listed on the injury report for Monday’s game at Carolina (6-0).